Howie Mandel Wants to Revive 'Bobby's World' with Modern Stories and Animation (Exclusive)

Years before Howie Mandel was known for shows like Deal or No Deal and Best Guess Live, he was the star of a beloved '90s animated show, Bobby's World. During an exclusive Men's Journal interview, he revealed he wants to bring the show back and why he thinks it would be better than ever. He also spoke about the regrets he sometimes feels after giving out his America's Got Talent Golden Buzzers.

Why Howie Mandel Wants to Bring Back ‘Bobby's World' and Do It Better

Men's Journal: Like a lot of people my age, I grew up watching Bobby's World, and I loved that show. Would you ever bring that show back?

Howie Mandel: I'm trying to. If you can help me, I would love to do it. If somebody said to me today, "Do you want to bring Bobby's World back?" The answer is, "Yes."

Men's Journal: Do you have story ideas you'd want to tell if it came back?

Howie Mandel: Story ideas? The list of story ideas is endless. First of all, all of the stories from Bobby's World are real. They either happened to the people who worked on the show, they happened to our children, or they were things that people can relate to. Those are mundane stories. And then, inside his mind, this is pre-Rugrats, you would have his recollection of how it was.

It would actually be easier for me to do it today than it was then. We dealt with a lot of pop culture and current events. We leaned into pop culture, whether it was a hit movie, TV show, video game, or whatever. But the problem that we had then was that all our animation was done in Taiwan, and there was a six-month lag time. So if we wanted to reference the movie that was happening now, in six months, that wouldn't be as fresh. But now, because of technology, we could jump on a pop culture event tomorrow. Like South Park. They can comment on things that are current. I would love that luxury.

Men's Journal: Other than being able to be more topical, are there other ways you feel the show could be modernized?

Howie Mandel: Well, yeah, the animation would be better. Instead of being just 2D, it could be 3D. It could exist not only on TV and not only on Saturday morning, but on every platform and on social media in short form. I sound like I'm pitching Bobby's World now.

Men's Journal: Can you still do Bobby's voice?

Howie Mandel (in the voice of Bobby Generic from Bobby's World): Yeah.

Howie Mandel Admits His 'America's Got Talent' Golden Buzzer Regrets

Men's Journal: I couldn't talk to you without discussing Bobby's World and America's Got Talent as well. On AGT, I'm sure you've put thought into when you give out Golden Buzzers. But do you really regret it when you later see an act you want to give it to and you can't because it's gone?

Howie Mandel: Absolutely. Listen, I put no thought into golden buzzers. I don't mean that in a negative way. When you ask about when I give a golden buzzer, in the moment when somebody's in front of me, it is so jaw-droppingly amazing that I go, "Oh my God, this is so original. This is so neat. This is so great." And then I go, boom, and I hit the golden buzzer, and they're moved on to the next level.

But we only get a certain number of Golden Buzzers per season. This season, we only get two. There have been many, many, many times when a day later, I will see something and go, "Oh." You'll hear me say it on television. I'll go, "I would give you a golden buzzer if I had one left. I don't have any left." Not to take anything away from somebody else I gave a golden buzzer to, and I don't say this part on the show, but I'll think, "I like this act even better."

This year, during season 21, I gave a golden buzzer to probably the best act I've ever seen. I don't regret that. At least I held out and gave a golden buzzer to an act that I think is going to be jaw-droppingly spectacular.

Men's Journal: Is it as much fun for you to see other people give out golden buzzers as it is for the viewers at home?

Howie Mandel: Absolutely. I feel like it's not a job. I got the best seat in the room. I don't know that that's a job. Unlike hosting Best Guess Live or anything else that I've done, I feel like I'm sitting back doing what everybody else is doing on their couch, except when viewers are telling the people around you, "Wow, this is great. Hey, get in here. You've got to see this." I'm going, "Jesus. Wow." When the Golden Buzzers go off, I'm right there. I got the best seat in the house. I feel like the luckiest guy in the house.

Men's Journal: What are you most excited about with the new season of America's Got Talent? I have to assume that you're most excited for the world to see who you gave your Golden Buzzers to.

Howie Mandel: That's it. I say this every year, but it's true. Every year sets a new bar. Then people see or are inspired by what those performers do, and then they try to better them. They try to exceed that. So they go, "I could do that. But I'm going to do that as I'm going to light myself on fire. Not only am I going to light myself on fire, I'm also going to hang upside down two stories in the air." So now we get to see it as we've never seen it before. There's so much more originality this season. There are more things that I have never seen done in a way that we have never seen by people that you wouldn't expect doing it than I have ever experienced.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 6:37 AM.